Safety stirrup

ABSTRACT

A C-SHAPE SAFETY STIRRUP HAVING AN OPEN SIDE FOR EASY REMOVAL OF ONE&#39;&#39;S FOOT THERETHROUGH WHEREIN THE STIRRUP BAR IS ATTACHED TO THE FREE END OF AN L-SHAPE STIRRUP BODY FOR HANGING THE STIRRUP FROM A STIRRUP STRAP, WHICH STRAP IS CONFINED BY A REMOVABLE BAR KEEPER CONSTRUCTED AND   ARRANGED TO RELEASABLY LOCK THE STIRRUP BAR AGAINST UNWANTED REMOVAL FROM THE SHANK.

Jan. 19; 1971 G. E. osBbRN 3,555,781

SAFETY STIRRUP Filed Feb. 24, 1969 George E. Osborn INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,555,781 SAFETY STIRRUP George E. Osborn, 1401 W. 1st Ave.,-

Spokane,.Wash. 99204 Filed Feb. 24, 1969, Ser. No. 801,330 Int. Cl. B68c 3/00 U.S. Cl.'54-49 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE 8 Claims A C-shape safety stirrup having an open side for easy I My present invention relates to equestrian trappings and more particularly to a saddle and its parts and precisely to an improved safety stirrup.

-While this invention is admirably adapted for use with a saddle of the western style; which is normally employed while breaking a horse, rodeo activities and riding pursuits of the general public, during which one is apt to be unseated, it is not necessarily limited to these uses. Wherever the danger of ones foot becoming caught in the stirrupis adistinct possibility, my safety stirrup can be employed with beneficial results.

Many equestrians are seriously injured or killed when they fall from a horse because they are unable to kick one foot free of the standard stirrup and are therefore dragged and kicked or trampled by the frightened animal from which they fell.

The present invention provides an improved stirrup which will facilitate removal of ones foot from the stirrup when a fall is imminent and also, in the event the foot slips through the stirrup during a fall may still be laterally extricated from the stirrup by merely causing the leg to turn to present the heel toward the opening, thus greatly reducing the possibility of injury to a fallen rider. 1

Furthermore, my unique construction is calculated to produce a safety stirrup of the character disclosed herein which is easily and simply manufactured from a minimum number of parts which are readily assembled and thus inexpensive to produce.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent and meaningful during the course of the following specification when considered in association with the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred form of the invention is graphically illustrated. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are illustrative only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. It should also be understood that various changes in construction may be resorted to in the course of manufacture without in any way departing from the spirit of the invention which is to be understood only in accordance with the appended claims. Furthermore, it is to be understood that while the invention is described in one particular association, it is not my intention to unnecessarily limit the applicability of the invention, but I desire to reserve to myself the claimed invention for every use of which it is now known or subsequently discovered to be susceptible.

Other advantages and features of this invention will become apparent from the more detailed description following in which like reference numerals are employed to designate similar parts in the accompanying drawings 3,555,781 Patented J-an.- 19, 1971 in which I have shown the preferred construction, where- FIG. 1 is a perspective view of my improved safety stirrup; and

'FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of a right-hand stirrup supported from a saddle by conventional stirrup strap, and having portions in section for convenience of illustration. 1

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the reference numeral 10 indicates in its entirety my improved stirrup which is shown in FIG. 2 in combination with any conventional saddle, indicated by the stirrup strap 40. i

The safety stirrup comprises an L-shape body 11 having a horizontal stirrup tread 12 fixed at a substantially right angle with respect -to a'vertical shank 13, which may be relieved at 14 to better fit a riders foot, or shaped for this purpose.

At the free end of the stirrup tread, I provide a process 15, here shown to be a perpendicular lip, but which may take other forms capable of confining a riders foot against lateral accidental removal from the stirrup.

At its upper end, the shank 13 is provided with a pair of vertically spaced bores 16 and 17 which are axially parallel to each other and substantially so with respect to the longitudinal axis of the stirrup tread 12.

, The upper bore 16 is internally threaded to receive the externally threaded reduced boss '21 which is an integralextension of a stirrup bar 20. The circumference ofthe stirrup bar 20 is greater than that of the boss 21 and: thus an annular radial shoulder 22 is definedtherebetween.

This shoulder 22 impinges in face-to-facei'e'nga'gement with the shank 13, strengthens the bar 20 against bending at its point of connection with the shank 13 by converting the bending moment into tension on the mating threads of the boss 21 and the bore 16.

At its outer end, the bar 20 is provided with an enlarged integral head 23 which confines the loop of the stirrup strap against sliding axially along'the bar 20 and off its outer free end. laterally, of the stirrup.

The head 23 is provided with a bore 24 which is axially parallel to and spaced from the periphery of the bar 20 and is axially aligned with the bore 17 in the shank 13 when the boss 21 is tightly threaded into the bore 16 with the shoulder 22 tight against the shank.

A keeper 30 having an elongated body 31 adapted to enter bore 17 and an enlarged externally threaded head 32 extends through the bore 24 into the bore 17 and is fixed therein by cooperation of the threads of the head 32 and the bore 24.

Preferably, the keeper 30 seats flush with the outer surface of head 23 and is manipulated by means of a male wrench element or screwdriver, thus eliminating any unnecessary projections which may injure persons or animals.

The bar 20 and keeper 30 comprise a U-shape unit having parallel members connected by the head 23 at their outer ends and releasably fixed with respect to the shank 13. It will be recognized that not only does the keeper 30 prevent the loop of the stirrup strap 40 from accidental removal from the stirrup bar 20 but also it locks the stirrup bar 20 against rotation with respect to the shank and therefore also locks these parts together.

The lip 15 terminates spaced from the head 23 a sufficient distance to admit of passage of a riders foot or ankle laterally from the stirrup.

Having thus described my invention, I desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States the following:

1. A safety stirrup for a saddle, comprising:

an L-shape body having a substantially horizontal stirrup tread having a free, unsupported end and at the opposed end a'shank fixed with respect to said tread at substantially right angle;

said shank having spaced from said tread an axially substantially parallel bore;

a stirrup bar having a reduced boss at one end termi nating inwardly with an annular shoulder;

means releasably securing said boss in said bore with said shoulder abutting said shank, whereby to provide resistance to deflection of said bar with respect to said shank; and

' means for keeping a stirrup strap from accidental removal from supporting said stirrup bar.

2. The invention according to claim 1 further comprisa process at the free end of said tread for confining a riders foot against lateral accidental removal from said stirrup and spaced from said bar, whereby a laterally disposed opening is provided to define a C-shape stirrup,

3. The invention according to claim 1 and further characterized by:

said means for keeping a stirrup strap are releasably secured with respect to said shank.

4. The invention according to claim 3 and further characterized by:

said stirrup bar and means for keeping a stirrup strap define a U-shape unit with parallel members interconnected at one end, and the free ends of said parallel members are releasably fixed with respect to said shank. 5. The invention according to claim 4 and further characterized by:

said shank having a second bore spaced from said firstnamed bore and adapted to receive the free end of one said parallel member; and

means releasably securing the said ends in said bores.

6. The invention according to claim 5 and further characterized y s 1 the free end of said stirrup bar having a reduced and threaded boss and the companion bore of said shank is threaded to mate-therewith; said boss terminating inwardly with said annular shoulder abutting said shank, whereby to provide increased resistance to relative deflection of said bar with respect to said shank. 1 I 7. The invention according to claim 6,wherein: I the said stirrup bar has an enlarged integral head on its end opposed to the said shank and forms the said interconnection between, the said parallel members; said head having an internally threaded bore therethrough, spaced from said stirrup bar; and i the other said parallel member, comprising said keeper, having an externally threaded head mating with said last-named internally threaded bore while the free end of said keeper is disposed in its companion bore in said shank, whereby it forms a keeper-for said strap and releasably secures said stirrup bar against rotation. 8. The invention according to claim 7 combined with the stirrup strap of a saddle 1 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 203,807 5/1878 Wilson 54-49 437,108 9/1890 GoOdridge 54-49 841,793 1/1907 Levy 54-49 1,074,481 9/1913 Ward 54-49 HUGH R. CHAMBLEE, Primary Examiner 

